Early this morning Sony launched an impressive new Cyber-Shot camera; the DSC-RX100. This tiny camera measures just 4 x 2.3 x 1.4 inches (WxHxD), however it packs a punch with some very powerful features; many of which have been borrowed from Sony's Alpha SLT and NEX models. The most notable of which is the World's first 1-inch, 20-megapixel Exmor CMOS image sensor. This unit is approx. four times larger than the 1/2.3 sensors used in most cameras of this size, and Sony claims it offers superior light capturing abilities thanks to the increased surface area; meaning you'll be able to capture beautiful photos in various situations with less noise.

Other key features include:

3.6x Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* optical zoom lens

Well-built aluminum body

Sensitivity settings up to ISO 25,600

New BIONZ image processor

10fps burst shooting at full resolution

3.0-inch Xtra Fine LCD with 1.2 million dots and new WhiteMagic Technology

dSLR-style GUI

The Cyber-Shot DSC-RX100 is set to hit stores sometime in July for approx. $650 USD. Check out our Cyber-Shot DSC-RX100 Preview or the full press release below for more details.

Striking
the ultimate balance of form and function, the stylish,
aluminium-built RX100 camera inherits many advanced imaging features
from Sony's α range of A-mount and E-mount cameras, delivering
beautiful still images, crisp full HD videos and a level of manual
control and creativity unmatched by any other camera of its size.

"This camera is ideal for travel, portraits or street photography,
delivering impressive results in a variety of lighting conditions
with an intuitive, customizable control interface," said Yosuke
Tomoda, director of the Cyber-shot business at Sony Electronics.
"It's a perfect step-up model for point and shoot users not
interested in larger DSLR or compact system cameras, and also an
outstanding choice for enthusiasts who may already own a large DSLR
and are looking for a high-quality, pocket-sized 'all-in-one'
second camera."

At the heart of the Cyber-shot RX100 is the world's first 1.0-inch
type Exmor® CMOS sensor with a resolution of 20.2 effective
megapixels. Specially developed by Sony, the sensor has an area
that's approximately four times larger than the 1/2.3-type sensors
in traditional point-and-shoot cameras. The sensor's larger area
takes in more light while capturing content, resulting in beautiful,
detail-packed images and Full HD movie clips with very low noise.

The
larger sensor is partnered with an exceptionally bright Carl Zeiss®
Vario-Sonnar T* fixed lens with 3.6x optical zoom range. In contrast
to standard point-and-shoot cameras, it has a wide F1.8 maximum
aperture to let in additional light and complement the resolving
power of the larger sensor.

Similar
to high-performance DSLR optics, the lens features seven- bladed
circular aperture. This makes it easy to produce images with subjects
in sharp focus against a smoothly-blurred, beautifully defocused
background. The lens also features an Advanced Aspherical (AA) lens
element that contributes to the camera's extremely compact
dimensions without sacrificing optical zoom performance or
resolution.

Newly
optimized to complement the 1.0-inch type sensor and lens, the
camera's powerful BIONZ® image processor maximizes shooting
response times while helping assure exceptionally clean, natural
images. It also extends sensitivity right up to ISO 25600 (using
Multi Frame Noise Reduction), allowing for exceptionally clear
handheld images in low light conditions. To capture fast-moving
subjects, the RX100 camera can also shoot at up to 10 frames per
second (in full resolution) and has high-speed autofocus that locks
onto a subject in as quickly as 0.13 seconds (depends on scene and
lighting conditions).

The
new RX100 camera features a high-resolution 3-inch 1,229k dot Xtra
Fine LCD™ display and also adds a new feature: WhiteMagic™
technology. This uses additional white pixels to boost screen
brightness, allowing users to see subtle details and tones on the
screen in all types of shooting environments, including outdoors in
bright sunlight.

For
making manual adjustments while shooting both still images and
movies, the new camera has a smooth control ring around the lens
body, which can be used to alter exposure, zoom, creative picture
effects and a variety of other customizable functions.
Additionally, frequently used functions can be assigned to the Fn
(function) button for instant access, and the Memory Recall feature
can store up to three groups of customized shooting settings based on
user preference.

Similar
to a DSLR-style interface, there's a choice of auto and manual
focus modes on the Cyber-shot RX100 camera for enhanced image
control. For those that prefer focusing manually, MF Assist magnifies
images to simplify fine adjustments, and there's also a pro-style
peaking function that highlights sharply-focused areas of the image
on screen.

The
RX100 camera offers a generous choice of artistic options to expand
creative shooting possibilities. It includes the option for six
different creative styles and a variety of popular picture effects
including Toy Camera, Partial Color, HDR
Painting and several others, most of which can be previewed directly
on screen before shooting.

The
new Cyber-shot features Auto Portrait Framing - a feature found on
Sony's latest α range of A-mount and E-mount cameras -- making it
simple to create sharp, perfectly framed portraits. This unique
feature automatically detects faces in a scene, crops the picture
accordingly creates a tighter, pro-style composition at full
resolution. Both the original and cropped photo are saved for
review.

New
accessories include a spare battery, dedicated carrying case and a
battery charger designed to complement to the new camera.

Pricing
and Availability

The
Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 digital camera will be available this July for
about $650. The camera and accessories will be available at Sony
retail stores (www.store.sony.com)
and other authorized dealers nationwide.